Improvement in tables for clothes-cutting



G. n. EAGER.'

Tables for Clothes Cutting.

UNITED STATES PATENT OEEIcEo GEORGE R. EAGER, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

IMPROVEMENT IN TABLES FOR CLOTHES-CUTTING.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 155,073, datedSeptember 15, 1874; applifaton filed July 723, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE R. EAGER, of Boston, in the county of SuffolkandState of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Pattern-Tables for Cutting Clothing; and I do herebydeclare that the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to which itpertains to make and use the same, reference being had to theaccompanying drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon,which form a part of this specification, in which- Figure l represents aplan of a table having my improved device applied thereto, it being apattern for cutting out the sleeves of garments. Fig. 2 is a detachedview in plan of the parts which form the patterns of overalls or pants.Fig. 3 represents a cross-section taken through the line fr of Fig. l,and Fig. 4 a longitudinal section through the line y y of Fig. l. Fig. 5represents a plan of the table with the parts which form the patternremoved.

Heretofore, in manufacturing hats, caps, coats, vests, pants, overalls,shirts, drawers, and such like garments, it has been customary to laythem down in several thicknesses of cloth, and chalk out on the surfaceof the upper layer the pattern required to be cut, and then taking thescissors to it for that purpose. By this method but a fewthicknesses canbe cut at a time, and much time is wasted in chalking out the pattern.To overcome these difliculties is the object of my present improvement;and the invention consists in making a table to which patterns ofdii'erent sizes and shapes can be temporarily secured, the patternsbeing formed by suitably shaped crevices or channels, into which a sharpknife can be passed, and by them guided, so as to cut out a large numberof pieces of cloth of the pattern required at one and the sameoperation,

platform or table, and is intended to be supported and held in place ona frame and legs in any suitable manner 5 and, if desired, so made andattached thereto as to be easily removable therefromvwhenever desired.As a rule the platform A will have a permanent platform, B, securedtheretoat each en'd, and at a suitable distance above therefrom to allowfree passage to the knife, to its hilt, from the surface of the platformBl to the inner face of the main platform A. To this end crosspieces C,of sufficient thickness to give the depth required for the play of theknife, are interposed between platforms A and B, and the whole firmlySecured to each other. On platform A are then secured, in any suitablemanner, supporting-pieces D of a thickness equal to that of cross-piecesC. These pieces D are of such length and shape as, when suitablyarranged, to give proper support to the patternpieces E, and to enablethe same-to be held firmly in place thereon by such means as will enablethem to be easily removed therefrom whenever desired-as, for instance,by

screws, pins, clamps, or other known devices through which thisobjectmay be eifected.

The arrangement of the supporting-pieces D with relation. to each othermust be such as to give free passage, between their ends or sides, tothe knife as it passes along the grooves or channels a, formed by theadjustment of the pieces E, which form the pattern, with relation toeach other, that the knife may have unobstructed play from the one endof the groove or grooves to the other. In this respect, the pieces Emust be so arranged and secured to the supporting-pieces D, with respectto each other, as to leave a channel or groove, a, of a width justsufficient for the free passage of the knife without unnecessary playfrom side to side, and should be of such thickness (or otherwiseprovided with flanges on their under side) as to give a vertical stroketo the knife in cutting.

It is true th at great skill and experience may enable the cutter to dowithout such flanges (or such a thickness in the patterns E) as to makethem guides for insuring a vertical cut; but it is deemed better to somake them, as it will enable an inexperienced cutter to cut as well asone having a larger experience.

In Fig. 5, supports D are shown suitably arranged as well for thesupport of the sleevepatterns E, Fig. 1, as of the overall or pantspattern E of Fig. 2.

These tables may be made entirely of wood or entirely of metal in alltheir parts, or partially of wood and partially of metal. If, however,the patterns E are made of wood, then, in such event, it might be wellto face their edges, which form the channels c, with soft metal, such asbrass 5 but for most purposes it would be better to make the patternsentirely of metal. y.

In practice, it is proposed to have separate tables with a full set ofdifferent-sized patterns for each kind of garment-that is to say, onetable with a full set of patterns of different sizes and styles ofcoats, another for pants, a third for vests, a fourth for shirts, 85e.;and in large establishments, where vast quantities of garments are madeup, it may even be advantageous to subdivide these classes, so as tohave separate tables, each with its complement of patterns for cuttingout the different parts of a garment, as, for instance, like the tableshown in Fig. l, the pattern of which is simply for cutting out thesleeve of a garment; but while that system may be advisable it is notabsolutely necessary, as the patterns for the different parts may bemade interchangeable on the same table, the one with the other, by thesuitable arrangement and shape of the supports D, and which, for thispurpose, may be simple columnar supports, so as to occupy but smallspace, and thus give greater scope to the passage of the knife, and amore varied course for the grooves or channels a of the differentpatterns. These may be provided with a simple stud-pin on their upperend, which, taking into a corresponding hole in the pattern-plates, willhold them in place, and render them easy to remove and replace withothers. y

rJhe operation is simple: Layers of cloth, of the number of thicknessesrequired, being evenly spread upon the pattern E, the end of the knifeis then inserted into the groove or channel a, and made to pass up anddown, following the channel until the knife has traversed its wholecourse. For this purpose an entrance channel or channels may be made inthe patterns similar to those shown at b, Fig. l; and in order to insurethe absolute cutting out of the garment-pieces short ending-slots may beformed, such as those shown at c in the same ligure.

If deemed advisable, platform A may be entirely dispensed with, in whichease the frame of the table may be provided with the necessarysupporting-standards D for the support of the patternplates E, and forthis purpose all ma)7 be cast in one piece. The patternplates E may alsoall be connected together in one piece in any suitable manner-as, forinstance, by arms connecting the center-piece with the outsidepieces-and thus formed may also. if desired, be cast in one piece or theoutside line-pieces may be cast or otherwise secured together in onepiece, and the centerpiece then form the second piece of the pattern.

It is evident that any kind of garment or covering for the body, head,or feet may be cut out on this plan by suitable patterns made for thepurpose.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A pattern -table on which to cut out clothes, provided with achannel. a. arranged to form the outline of a pattern of any shaperequired, substantially as described.

2. A pattern for cutting out clothes or other material, the shape ofwhich is formed by a channel or channels, a, in the manner substantiallyas set forth.

3. A pattern for cutting out garments, &c., formed by the combination oftwo or more pieces, E E, so arranged as to form a channel or channels,a, substantially as set forth.

4. rlhe combination of a removable pattern, E, with a supporting frameor table, A, constructed substantially as described, and for thepurposes set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I affix my signaturein presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE R. EAGER.

, Witnesses:

FRANK E. Frrfrs, HATTIE A. EAG-ER.

